Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Sudan Readying for Landmark Election Sunday VOA News 10 April 2010 Sudanese national election commission workers prepare ballot boxes at the ballot distribution center in Khartoum, 10 Apr 2010, a day before country's first multiparty elections in decades Photo: AP Sudanese national election commission workers prepare ballot boxes at the ballot distribution center in Khartoum, 10 Apr 2010, a day before country's first multiparty elections in decades Sudan is gearing up for its first multi-party elections in almost a quarter century on Sunday, amid growing concern from observers over whether the government can deliver a credible poll. Political party members ended their campaigning on Friday ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and regional polls, which will take three days to complete. President Omar al-Bashir is widely expected to win re-election. Two of his main challengers, ousted former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and Yasir Arman from the southern Sudan People's Liberation Movement, pulled out of the race this week. Several opposition parties plan to fully or partially boycott the elections.  Opposition parties accuse Mr. Bashir and his ruling National Congress Party of preparing to rig the results. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and observers from the Carter Center are in Sudan to monitor the elections, despite the European Union and other monitoring agencies pulling out.  Parliamentarians from around the world have called on Sudan to postpone elections, saying in a public letter that the "building blocks for a free and fair election" are not in place. Khartoum has refused to delay the poll.  The election follows a 2005 peace accord that ended a 21-year civil war between Sudan's northern and southern regions. It is a prelude to a referendum scheduled to be held in January on whether the semi-autonomous south will become completely independent. President Bashir has been in power since a 1989 coup. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes committed in the western region of Darfur.  Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. .